Bold flavours on the barbie call for equally gutsy reds, says Susy Atkins

‘It’s built for a barbie,” an Aussie winemaker once said to me about his decidedly powerful, hearty Barossa Valley shiraz. Well hang on, that depends on what kind of food is going on the grill, of course – a wine like that is no good with king prawns, vegetable kebabs or charred corn cobs, now is it? But I knew exactly what he meant.

Barbecued red meat needs a no-nonsense, gutsy red, one with broad shoulders to carry the strong flavours not only of the meat, but of smoke and char, marinade and spices. Much as I love them, lighter reds such as simple cherrydrop Italians, beaujolais or pretty pinots don’t have the structure to take it all on.

Instead, turn to reds from hotspots such as Stellenbosch in South Africa, Mendoza in Argentina, France’s Rhône and Languedoc, and, yes, South Australia – those made from grape varieties with thick skins, so creating plenty of extract and “grunt” (another Aussie wine word) in the finished wine. Cabernet sauvignon, shiraz/syrah, grenache, pinotage, malbec.

Here’s the thing – the best of these for grilled red meat are aged in oak barrels. The vanilla and savoury spice notes of oak chime beautifully with wood smoke in particular. Check out the label for information on wood ageing, but the majority of full-bodied New World, Spanish and southern French reds have been in cask.

And a final tip, barbie masters – don’t be tempted to chill these before opening, even on very hot days, as tannic, grunty reds can taste awfully chewy and tough when cold. They can come out in the sun (for just a while) in order to shine.

EBENEZER & SEPPELTSFIELD SHIRAZ 2017,

Barossa Valley, Australia (14.5%, Marks & Spencer, £13)

A strapping great shiraz, indisputably big and burly, but its ripe red and blackcurrant fruit is balanced by a slightly salty mineral freshness. Matured for 16 months in American oak hogsheads, it’s best with peppered steaks.

TASTE THE DIFFERENCE SAINT CHINIAN SYRAHGRENACHE 2016,

France (14%, Sainsbury’s £9)

Black liquorice, clove, cinnamon and allspice are sprinkled liberally over blackberries in this gutsy southern French blend, part of which was aged in French oak barrels for a year. An excellent match for chargrilled, herby lamb chops.

IRRESISTIBLE FAIRTRADE ORGANIC MALBEC 2017,

Famatina Valley, Argentina (13%, Co-op, £7.50)

This chunky malbec, loaded with rich black cherries and spice, was named best Fairtrade wine at the International Wine Challenge 2019 two weeks ago. It’s delicious with barbecued steak and punches well above its price point.